Air flow baffle for rectifier heat exchanger



' AApril 1, 1969. l |l=.w. PARRISH AIR FLOW BAFFLE FOR RECTIFIER HEATEXCHANGER sheet l or 2 f Filed uarch 23. 1%?

AIR FLOW BAFFLE FO RECTIFIER HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 23.- 1S67 Aprill, 1969 F. PARRISH 2 ofz Sheet A fw m@ w M y 4 y |V M Inflil/ M M w lllIIIIH /II| on K, Q W if W 4/ 4@ f w a w e y MWW\ M, Zv Il. Y .r Ullin yIJ, L@ M I hl Ma Ir f uw Q Ml [ad Wa M y" .wz y, n I in @L Lf 2\O 7u Q 3Mw l www 4., ik 5. n l .if G. E 4H v I z Arm/@5x5 United States PatentOiice U.S. Cl. 165--121 3 'Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An airbaille positioned in the air shunt space between two forced cooled heatexchangers has bailles which direct air away from the path between theheat exchangers and into the surfaces of the heat exchangers. The bailleis made of insulation material and has bailles of progressively longerlengths to redirect air from the air shunt path over the full length ofthe heat exchangers.

This invention relates to forced air cooling and more particularlyrelates to a novel air baille located in the air shunt space between twoforced air heat exchangers for distributing the air from the air shuntregion into the surfaces of the heat exchangers along their full length.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to improve theeiliciency of the cooling medium in a forced cooled pair of spaced heatexchangers.

Another object of this invention is to utilize, for cooling, the air or.gas which normally ilows through the space between spaced heatexchangers which have ilns to increase their surface areas.

These and other objects of the invention will become readily apparentupon a consideration of the following descriptions and ydrawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 shows in perspective two spaced heat exchangers for receivingdiodes in connection with a cooling fan for directing cooling air alongthe iinned surface of the heat exchangers.

FIGURE 2 shows an electrical circuit diagram of a circuit whichincorporates the structure of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the air baille of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the heat exchangers of FIGURE 1 with the airbaille of FIGURE 3 disposed in the air shunt between the two heatexchangers.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 4 taken across the sectionline 5-5 in FIGURE 44.

Referring iirst to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a typical arrangementof forced cooled heat exchangers, which are conductive buses and 11having suitable elongated cooling ns of the usual type. Buses 10 and 11have suitable threaded openings which threadably receive the threadedstuds of parallel connected diodes 12, 13, 14 and 15, 16, 17respectively. Buses 10 and 11 are closely spaced, but are insulated fromone another when they are operated at different potentials. A commonsource of forced air or gas, such as fan 18 then directs air along thelength of buses 10 and 11 and their respective fins.

FIGURE 2 is a typical circuit application for the arrangement of FIGURE1 as a single phase-ful1 wave rectiier including a suitable transformer19, the diodes 12 to 17. For purposes of illustration, buses 10 and 11are considered connected to the anodes of diodes 12 to 17, thusrequiring electrical insulation between buses 10 and 11. Obviouslynumerous circuit applications would require such insulation.

Since the ends of the adjacent iins of buses 10 and 11 must be spacedfrom one another an air space, or air shunt exists between the buses.This space oilers less im- 3,435,891 Patented Apr. l, 1969 pedance toair ilow than do the fins, so an appreciable amount of cooling air ilowsdirectly through this air shunt without contributing to the cooling ofbuses 10 and 11.

In accordance with the invention, a novel baille is located in this airspace and contains a plurality of spaced vanes of increasing length fordiverting air passing down the air shunt laterally from the shunt andtoward the adjacent surfaces of the shunt.

FIGURE 3 shows the novel baille 30 in perspective view as comprising amolded unitary body having a base 31 which has a central vane 32, andlaterally directed vanes 33 to 40 extending therefrom. The rear ofcentral vane 32 spreads into end vanes 41 and 42. A top section 31asimilar to base 31 is also provided but is removed in FIGURE 3 in theinterest of clarity. Each of the vanes 33 to 42 form the same angle tocentral vane 32, of about 45 but the vanes become progressively longerto successively pick off a more interiorly disposed section of air inthe air shunt. As will be seen, this permits the air of the air shunt tobe uniformly distributed along the full length of the heat exchangers,or buses 10 and 11, forming the air shunt. Convenient mounting openingssuch as opening 43 are provided in base 31. Batlle 30 is made ofmaterial which has high dielectric strength, is resistant to arcing, isstable at high temperatures, presents a smooth surface to preventadherence of dust, resistance to chemical attack, good `dimensionalstability and low to moderate flexibility. Typically, the baille couldbe made of polyvinylchloride.

While FIGURE 3 shows the vanes extending inwardly from the lateral sidesof the base 31, it is clear that other vane arrangements could be usedto break up the laminar ilow of air in the air shunt and to induceturbulence into the air and cause impingement of the air on the heatexchangers.,Moreover, other vane shapes with various air foils couldalso be used.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show how the baille of FIGURE 3 can be inserted into theair shunt between buses 10 and 11 of FIGURE l.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate insulation support base members 50, 51 and52. Buses 10 and 11 are bolted to supports 50, 51, and 52, asillustrated in FIGURE 5 by bolts 53-54 and 5556 for the case of support50. The baille 30 is thus bolted into the free air space between theends of the adjacent ilns of buses as by bolts 57 and 58 which passthrough openings in base 31 and into openings in supports 50 and 52resectively. Air ilow will then be diverted as shown by the arrows inFIGURE 4 with the progressively longer vanes diverting the air in theair shunt laterally toward one or the other of the buses 10 and 11.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novelinvention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be liinited,not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a iirst elongated heat exchanger; a second elongatedheat exchanger parallel to and spaced from said iirst heat exchanger; asource of forced gas for moving gas along the direction of elongation ofsaid iirst and second heat exchangers; and elongated baille meanspositioned in the space between said iirst and second heat exchangers;and elongated baille means positioned in the space between said iirstand second heat eX- changers and extending parallel to said iirst andsecond heat exchangers; said elongated baille means comprising a basesection having a central vane extending longitudinally along said basesection and a plurality of vanes perpendicular from said base sectionand positioned alternately on opposite sides of said central vanes; saidpluralityy of vanes longitudinally spaced along the length of said basesection and extending generally perpendicular to the plane includingsaid rst and second heat exchangers and said baffle means; saidplurality of vanes having generally plane surfaces forming acute anglesto the -direction of elongation of said baille means to divert air flowalong the space between said rst and second heat exchangers toward theadjacent surfaces of said irst and second heat exchangers; the adjacentsurfaces of said rst and second heat exchangers having longitudinallyextending ns; and a central vane extending longitudinally along saidbase section; said plurality of vanes positioned alter- 15 nately onopposite sides of said central vane.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofvanes have a progressively increased length in direction of air flow.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein 4 said plurality ofvanes extend inwardly from the lateral sides of said base section andfall short of said central vane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,109 8/ 1939 Muller 317-234X 2,340,855 2/1944 Abrams 165-51 X 2,842,722 7/ 1958 Diebold S17-2342,904,316 9/ 1959 Hagen et al 165-126 2,927,250 3/ 1960 Scharli 317-1003,179,570 4/1965 Le Foll 165-181 X 3,364,987 1/ 1968 Bylund et al.1165-122 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

A. W. DAVIS, JR., Assistant Exwmine.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

